Michigan native plants offered at Ann Arbor marketplace

ANN ARBOR, MI -- Gardeners can embrace their Michigan roots at the inaugural Native Plant Expo and Marketplace on Saturday, June 1.

The Washtenaw County Conservation District is hosting the event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Washtenaw Farm Council Grounds, 5055 Ann Arbor-Saline Road.

The expo and marketplace are meant to give landowners a convenient location to shop for Michigan native plants and learn how to maintain their landscapes, according to a news release. Plant specialists, landscaping companies and nonprofit organizations will also sell seeds and services at the event.

The featured plants are only those native to the state in general, said Megan DeLeeuw, the conservation district’s manager. People shouldn’t expect to see plants like lavender, despite it growing in the state, she said.

The conservation district has hosted native plant sales on smaller scales, like its annual Spring Tree Sale, and received requests to do a more broad sale event, DeLeeuw said. There’s a growing demand for access to native plants because of their benefits, she said.

The plants require little care because they adapt to their environment, she said. They also help feed wildlife and insects, helping the ecosystem, she said.

“These plants have purpose and value,” DeLeeuw said. “Every year you hear about losing more of the bee population and how monarch butterflies are in jeopardy -- and just ecosystems in general. These species help prevent that because they can adjust to the climate changes.”

The expo and marketplace are geared toward native plant beginners, she said. The event allows them to connect with experts who grow the stock or have planted the species in public parks for years.

For those more experienced with native plants, there also will be access to at least four nurseries and a seed company, she said.

“There’s not only going to be native plant material to purchase that day, but organizations to encourage the habitats,” she said. “It’s not easy to go to the store and pick out native plants because it’s not always obvious what they are or how to use them.”

The distribution of pre-ordered fish stock for ponds also is from noon to 3 p.m. at the event. Orders for fish must be placed by Saturday, May 25, with a minimum of 25 fishes.

Oxygen bags to transport fishes home are being provided, but a 5-gallon bucket per 25 fish is recommended to set the bags in.